A study involving over 200,000 people found that shift workers are more likely to develop kidney stones, especially those who regularly work night shifts.

Kidney Stones and Risk Factors

Kidney stone disease is one of the most common urological conditions. According to various estimates, between 1% and 13% of the population in different countries suffer from it. The causes of kidney stone formation are diverse, ranging from genetic factors to metabolic disorders. Lifestyle habits also play a significant role.

The Impact of Shift Work

A team of specialists from Sun Yat-sen University (China) decided to take a closer look at how irregular and shift work schedules affect the risk of developing kidney stones. Previous research had already shown that people working shifts are more likely to have unhealthy habits, such as poor diet and smoking, which can contribute to disease. The Chinese researchers aimed to examine these factors together.

Study Design

The analysis used data from the UK Biobank, which includes information on more than 226,000 adult participants. In the questionnaires, respondents provided personal details, employment type, and lifestyle habits. On average, the observation period lasted nearly 14 years, during which 2,893 people were diagnosed with kidney stones.

Main Findings

Statistical analysis showed that those who worked in the afternoon, evening, at night, or rotated shifts had a 15% higher risk of developing kidney stones compared to those who worked only standard hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The risk was especially pronounced among night shift workers and those who frequently or consistently worked shifts—22% and 19% higher, respectively. The negative effect was most noticeable in people under 50 and those not engaged in heavy physical labor.

The Role of Lifestyle

The researchers noted that the link between shift work and increased risk of kidney stones is largely due to unhealthy habits: smoking, disrupted sleep patterns, excess weight, low physical activity, and insufficient fluid intake.

Recommendations

The authors believe that shift work should be considered a factor that increases the risk of kidney stone disease. To reduce the negative consequences of such schedules, companies are advised to implement employee health initiatives, promote healthy lifestyles, and encourage giving up harmful habits.

The study results were published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.